Keep an eye on this page, it will change from time-to-time.  You may find anything from recipes to grower photos and anything else we think may be of interest to lovers of extra virgin olive oils.  If you think we should include something here - email us!

this year’s blend

We are excited to introduce the 2010 ilove blend.

ilove extra virgin olive oil is always a blend. Although it is much simpler to do a single variety olive oil, a well blended oil is much more complex and interesting. In our blends, we deliberately take some of the best of our own fruit and combine it with carefully selected fruit from a small number of other local growers to to create a distinctive, fresh taste.

This year we have a Barnea (Israeli) base which provides much of the fruitiness and grassiness typical of New Zealand cool climate olive oils. To this we have added Frantoio (Tuscan) and Leccino (Tuscan) oils to provide layers of intensity and pepperiness to round out the flavours. Finally we have added a dash of Manzanillo (Spanish) to bring in the softness which is characteristic of this season.

As always, ilove falls well within the standards set by the International Olive Council for extra virgin olive oil. This year our free fatty acid level is ?? (must be below 0.5%m/m) and our peroxide level is ?? (must be below 15m Eq per Kg). We are currently having our oil tested and will fill in details as they arrive!

 

 

recipes 

basil and hazelnut pesto

1 cup roasted hazelnuts

2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup ilove olive oil

1 T basalmic vinegar or lemon juice

Salt to taste

Blend all in a food processor. Store in fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze.
Use as a dip (add more ilove olive oil to make it more liquid), as a spread on crackers (particularly good with sliced tomato on top), or as a dressing for pasta (either alone, or with chopped tomato and brie or camembert cheese).

vinaigrette salad dressing

In a screw-top jar pour in:

1/3 volume vinegar (red wine vinegar, basalmic vinegar, cider vinegar are all nice)

2/3 volume ilove olive oil

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 t mustard (whole grain or Dijon)

1 t honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Put the lid onto the jar tightly, and shake well. Store in the fridge.

marinated olives

Soak pickled olives in fresh water for 24-48 hours in the fridge.
Mix up a basic vinaigrette dressing (1/3 C white or red wine vinegar, cider vinegar or basalmic vinegar; 2/3 C ilove olive oil) and add salt and pepper to taste, 2-3 cloves crushed garlic, fresh herbs to taste (rosemary and thyme are particularly nice).

Pour the dressing over the drained olives.

Leave to marinate in a jar for as long as you can – at least 24 hours, but will keep for weeks in the fridge. The flavour just keeps getting better and better.